On Monday, Legendary Korean rock singer Shin Hae-chul passed away at 46. Because he died following an operation, many are accusing the physicians at Seoul Sky Hospital of medical malpractice. Famed “Gangnam Style” rapper Psy has joined other K-Pop icons in rallying for an autopsy for Shin. They hope further examination will determine the true cause of death.
Psy, who collaborated with the late artist on the 2003 album, Project X, was seen crying during Shin’s Catholic memorial service on Friday at Asan Medical Center. “The bereaved family feels as if the world is caving in,” said Psy. “The autopsy is irrelevant to whether or not the family decides to file charges. The family does not want this. It is so that we could know why he passed away, irrespective of possible legal disputes.”
Just before his body was scheduled to be cremated on Friday morning, Shin’s family consented to the request. Lee Seung-chul, a South Korean soft rock singer, addressed the reporters outside Seoul Memorial Park crematorium on behalf of Shin’s loved ones. “It has been decided not to cremate the body,” stated Lee, explaining that his family had been convinced to move forward with a postmortem after the push from his fellow stars.
Shin was regarded as a pioneer of avante-garde rock music since his debut in 1988. He was also known by the nicknames “Demon Lord” and “Cult Leader,” and formed the band N.EX.T. (New Experiment Team) in 1992. He vocalized his support for various causes, like ending corporal punishment in local schools. These stances were often emphasized in his socially-critical lyrics. This past summer, he released his first studio album in six years, and was soon to release brand new songs with N.EX.T.
On October 17th, the musician reportedly had an operation at Seoul Sky Hospital for a strangulated hernia. He was discharged the following day, but readmitted on October 20th. Two days later, he went into cardiac arrest during a bowel operation. Shin was revived and transferred to intensive care, but arrived in critical condition, with complications from peritonitis and septicaemia. He went into a five-day coma before succumbing to the illnesses.
More than 16,000 mourners visited Shin’s mortuary at Asan Medical Center over the course of three days. Among the fans in attendance were many top actors and K-Pop artists. He is survived by his wife, a broadcaster and columnist named Yoon Won-hee, and their daughter and son, ages 8 and 7, respectively.